FISH FRENZY: Fisheries Tas lays down law on escaped salmon

Looking to reel in a big one after Huon’s mass fish escape? Turns out there are rules about how many you can take home. CATCH LIMITS>>

As keen anglers try to bag a big one after a mass fish escape from a Huon Aquaculture pen earlier this month, Fisheries Tasmania have reminded fishers there are strict catch limits in place.

Huon Aquaculture confirmed to the Mercury last week the fish had escaped on September 2nd, because of a tear in the inner net.

Anglers are now reporting large Atlantic salmon being caught in the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and Huon River.

“A reminder that the bag limit is 12, possession limit 24 and there is no boat limit,” a Fisheries Tasmania spokesperson advised on the government organisation’s Facebook page.

“If you are fishing in inland waters, the bag limit is 5 and you need an inland fisheries licence.

“You cannot sell, buy, barter or raffle recreationally caught fish but you are allowed to give your catch away.”

One commenter asked why a bag limit was in place.

“The bag limit helps prevent illegal selling of fish and allows the catch to be shared equitably among recreational fishers,” the Fisheries Tasmania spokesperson said.

Tassal off the hook after rumours of second fish frenzy emerge

Tassal has furiously denied claims up to 40,000 salmon escaped from its pens into Storm Bay within days of the mass fish escape at Huon River on September 3.

The Bob Brown Foundation on Friday said it was calling on Tassal to confirm an escape of its own after rumours emerged that more salmon were loose in Tasmanian waters.

“Huon Aquaculture has confirmed the escape of up to 50,000 salmon into the Huon and Channel and Bob Brown Foundation is calling on Tassal to confirm their own salmon escape of up to 30,000 to 40,000 salmon in Storm Bay,” the Bob Brown Foundation said in a statement.

But a Tassal spokesman on Friday said: “The claims are false. There have been no escapes.”

Bob Brown Foundation fish farm campaigner Alistair Allan said the foundation had heard the rumours through community groups and “different people who are watching the salmon industry”.

While relieved there had been no escape at Storm Bay, Mr Allan said it did not change the fact there were up to 50,000 “carnivores” destroying native fish stocks in the Huon River.

“Time and time again, the salmon industry shows just how unaccountable they are,” Mr Allan said.

“There should be criminal charges against those responsible for destroying our public waters.

“If you went into a national park and released feral cats, there would be stiff penalties.

“The same should apply to salmon escapes.”

FISH FRENZY: Where to reel in an escaped salmon

It is understood tens of thousands of fish are loose in the Huon River after a mass fish escape from a Huon Aquaculture pen.

Huon Aquaculture confirmed the escape occurred on September 2nd, because of a tear in the inner net.

“As part of fish loading operations at our Zuidpool South lease (in Channel), our crews identified a tear in the inner net of one pen resulting in an inventory loss of less than 10 per cent,” Huon Aquaculture community relations manager Pene Snashall said.

“The cause was due to aluminium poles from net infrastructure coming loose.”

The Mercury sought clarification around exactly how many fish escaped.

Facebook page Fishtas.com estimates there are 30,000 salmon which have been let loose, some up to 5kg in weight.

It says fishers have had luck catching the aquatic escapees in Cygnet and others have been spotted off Allonah.

In November, 2020, fish escaped from Huon Aquaculture pens after fire melted pen infrastructure, resulting in 50,000 fish swimming out.

A week later in December, a tear in a pen at Storm Bay resulted in up to 130,000 fish escaping.

Neighbours of Fish Farming campaigner Jessica Coughlan said the public should have been informed of the escape when it occurred.

“Tasmanian communities have every right to know automatically when these escapes occur and which company is responsible,” Ms Coughlan said.

“The community wants to know how escapes continue to happen in an industry boasting sustainability.”

Ms Coughlan said the group was concerned about the potential harm to creatures in the river.

“Carnivorous Atlantic salmon out compete and indeed eat, our native fish and shellfish species,” Ms Coughlan said.

“These are preventable, ecological disasters happening in our backyards.”

Ms Snashall said it was always regrettable when fish were lost.

“Every farmer wants to protect their livestock as well as the environment in which they farm,” she said.

Huon Aquaculture community relations manager Pene Snashall. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“Previous local and overseas studies, including a 2019 IMAS study into a similar escape in Tasmania, indicate that farmed salmon do not survive well in the wild as they exhaust energy reserves and waste away rather than actively feeding on native fauna.”

An Environment Protection Authority (Tasmania) spokesperson said the body was made aware of the escape on the day it occurred.

“It is a condition of Huon Aquaculture’s Environmental Licence that they advise the EPA of a significant escape of more than 500 fish occurs from a marine farming lease within 24 hours of becoming aware of the escape,” they said.

“Environmental licences do not contain specific penalties for mass fish escape incidents.”

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Originally published as FISH FRENZY: Fisheries Tas lays down law on escaped salmon